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Old-Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

This Old-Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream recipe (Millie’s recipe), is the perfect dessert to serve to a large group in summertime!

It’s easy to strive for perfection, and work too hard to make things too perfect for company. So when I start feeling this way, I always think about my mom … What would Millie do?

Mom was a low-stress hostess, and she was carefree and happy! She put time and energy into the details, for sure (you can read a bit more about her entertaining style, here), but when the guests showed up, she was all about them. I must say, my dad got right in there and helped. Dad was in charge of the music, the last minute details, and he always greeted the guests at the front door.

For dessert, dad was also in charge of the ice cream freezer, getting the ice (we froze it in milk jugs, so he would chizzle it to fit into the freezer), the rock salt, and then mom was in charge of the recipe.

Old-fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream

I had a very happy heart, as 10 of us gathered around our back patio table, on a warm summer evening last week. Which, by the way, was our first real “dinner party” outside, at our new home!

For me, our new space is about slowing down, enjoying the moment, being present with the people in our lives! And keeping it all as simple as can be!

How fun it was to set the table with flowers that I found on a walk with Haggis.

IKEA tablecloth that I splurged on a few weeks ago in Portland.

Otherwise using what I had, creating a simple menu, I was not stressed out. I let the silly things go (what about this, what about that), and I settled in on the friends who were coming to see our new home. I was excited!

Quickly I realized why the table experience was a good one on this evening.

When there is no pretense or “keeping up with the Joneses” kind of attitude, but real salt-of the-earth conversation about work, faith, relationships, and the young people are right there with the old people—that is real, authentic life, living in the moment.

Life is life-giving, vulnerable, contagious, and beautiful.

We’ve seen more of our “back home friends” over here in central Oregon, and we’ve come to realize that you just have to slow down to see it, feel it, experience it.

Easy Summer Meal

My family pitched in–preparing this Grilled Lemon Salmon (make your own foil liner) ahead of time for the grill, and pre-slicing and buttering the bread, asking our guest to bring a giant green salad, and slicing the watermelon. BAM. An easy summer meal.

Set the table early in the morning.

Ask guests to bring a dish (a giant green salad).

Keep a menu very simple, fresh ingredients, plus a recipe that I knew off the top of my head.

Is there anything better than a warm summer evening with great friends, good food, and homemade ice cream?

Look for ice cream freezers at yard sales or Good Will. I bought this one for $3.

Make sure when the freezer stops churning, you unplug it! And then, pull out the paddle (my friend Joan and I had a few licks!), and place the lid back on, and allow to continue to freezer (surrounded by ice).

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16 comments on “Old-Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream”

Sounds like fun evening! It’s great all your “back home friends” continue to come. Those are true friends!
Home made ice cream is the best!! That brownie doesn’t look half bad either! I’ll be watching for that receipe!

What a novel idea to add brown sugar to your vanilla ice cream. Even with family reunions once a year which we always have new flavors of ice cream and this year the Blueberry cheesecake was very popular, we hardly ever have anyone that makes vanilla so now I am looking forward to making that before summer is over for a group of my widow ladies I minister to from church!!

Got the idea of the recipe – but what is “half and half” ? Seems like like it maybe half cream & half milk ? As we don’t have it here (in Melbourne Australia) – is it ok to use 500 ml milk and 500 ml regular cream instead ?

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Welcome!

Welcome to my home and table! I'm Sandy-lover of food, family, cooking, travel, simple hospitality, and bringing people together. Feasting on Life is when guests come empty-handed, or with a dish, and they bring their story. It all begins the moment we open our door (and hearts). Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more.